A Different Partner
by Awareness Bringer
Summary: One-shot. Ichigo becomes the Substitute Shinigami of Rangiku rather than Rukia.


**Disclaimer: I don't own Tite Kubo's Bleach and I never will.**

**[ADP]**

**A Different Partner**

**[ADP]**

Having come to the Human World usually as part of the patrol duties in Naruki City undertaken by the Tenth Division of the Gotei 13, Lieutenant Rangiku Matsumoto, however, was able to persuade a member of the Thirteenth Division to trade places with her, so that she can patrol Karakura Town where she believed her old Captain, Isshin Shiba, was located at. While Rangiku didn't want to get on the bad side of the Captains, for a long time, she, among others, wondered why Isshin didn't return to Soul Society. Therefore, she took it upon herself to find out. It was in Karakura Town, that Rangiku sensed an enormous Reiryoku which led her to a private clinic where she then made an impromptu encounter with a young Human's kick.

"Who are you and what are you doing in my home?!" The guy yelled at her.

Befuddled instantaneously, Rangiku couldn't help but ask herself. "Did I drink too heavily again, or did this kid just touch and see me at the same time?"

"Ichigo, what are you doing?!" An older voice from outside the bedroom demanded as Rangiku processed how familiar the man sounded before the door opened to reveal the person she was looking for.

"Captain Shiba?!" Rangiku couldn't help but exclaim as she saw her former superior right in front of her, except he didn't seem to see or hear her. In fact, she sensed that he was pretty much Human from when she last saw him.

"Captain who?" The guy who kicked Rangiku, Ichigo, said unsurely at her exclamation.

"What?" Isshin said to Ichigo just as unsurely. "What are you doing, son?"

Pulling Ichigo to her, Rangiku told him. "Tell the old man that it's Rangiku Matsumoto."

Looking back at Rangiku curiously, Ichigo nonetheless shrugged and told his father. "I'm being visited by a Rangiku Matsumoto. Do you know her?"

Momentarily shocked, Isshin soon found his voice and asked with a cheeky grin. "Does she look like a completely responsible authority figure, or is she drinking booze while showing her large boobs to you?"

"Dad, seriously!" Ichigo yelped in scandalized embarrassment as Rangiku fumed in anger.

"If you can hurt him, please do so." The latter requested of the former.

**[ADP]**

Following Isshin's indirect reunion with his one-time Lieutenant, his only son, Ichigo Kurosaki, was forced to take up Rangiku's Shinigami powers when a Hollow made a surprise attack on the clinic. With his natural abilities realized, Ichigo was able to purify the Hollow, but Rangiku was then stranded in the Human World until she eventually regained her powers, which forced an eventually persuaded Ichigo to carry on her duties while she attended the same school as him in a Gigai to keep a better eye on her Substitute.

As the two unlikely partners made their way to Karakura High School, Ichigo and Rangiku mostly talked about what Soul Society was like compared to Earth as well as if Isshin was always a rambunctious person, which the latter was happy to talk about, especially the Isshin-related gossip. Hearing how his father was in some ways always a goofball, amused Ichigo nicely. It was then that he decided to talk to Rangiku of what he remembered of his mother, Masaki, and how he figured her influence in his life was what led to Isshin developing some sense of responsibility that his time as a Shinigami Captain, or even as a branch head of the once Noble Shiba Clan, didn't form.

"Sounds like a nice woman, Ichigo." Rangiku commented with a smile. "I'm sorry that I didn't get to meet her."

Smiling back in gratitude, Ichigo replied. "It's no trouble. You had a job to do as a Shinigami and you didn't know where to look until now." He then scratched the back of his head awkwardly before saying. "Still, thanks for the other night. If you didn't show up at the right time, I might've lost everything."

Giggling at Ichigo's shy honesty, Rangiku quickly left a kiss at his right cheek and then said. "Like you said, handsome, it's no trouble."

**[ADP]**

**I was discussing how I figured Ichigo would do nicely in a pairing with either Orihime, Rukia, Tatsuki, Nelliel, and/or Rangiku on SpaceBattles when The Grudge Keeper offered that the last one could be doable from the beginning if Rangiku either went looking for her old Captain in the Human World which would then lead to her meeting Ichigo, or if she took Rukia's place in offering up Shinigami powers at the very start. It sounded so good, I just had to write about it. Kind of gives a revolutionary aspect to the fandom if it hasn't been done before. I kind of have a desire to write about Bleach at full-length in the future, but while I've got just two potential stories with Ichigo leaning towards the Orihime end game in one and being paired with Rukia in another, I wouldn't mind getting a third idea at some point in time featuring a different Ichigo pairing.**

**I'm just surprised that it took so long for me to actually post something for December of 2019 before it ends for 2020 to begin, but at least I was able to do it. Sorry that I left out some stuff, but I want to read and watch as much as write about things.**


End file.
